Learning New Things and More Adventures

Our second week in Germany has been both frustrating and fun at the same time.  Learning new phone systems, new computer systems and the lay of the land has been a bit overwhelming to say the least but we have managed to get thru another week and we are still here!  It rained most of the week and was chilly all week....not great weather (especially for July!)  We just always had our handy umbrella's where ever we went!

 We went out to dinner with friends that are also serving here and on the way home, as we were walking to the train, we say this in a bookstore window. "The History of the Mormon's"....I thought that was interesting, right there in the window! Ha

 One evening, Tony and I decided to take a walk and get some Gelato (ice cream)....it's so good over here!  I took this picture because everywhere you go, you see cars parked right on the side walks!  Yes, that is the sidewalk, the streets are just too narrow for them to park on the street so they just drive right onto the sidewalks!

 On Saturday, we once again, got on our bikes and went with the Stay's for a bike ride!  Becky is like and encyclopedia of information!  I love going places with her because I learn so much.  

This is the old Opera House that was bombed in the war and re-built.  It is actually quite small and they use it more for concerts instead of Opera's.  The new Opera House is just a few blocks from here and much larger and very modern.  After the WWII they had to rebuild most of Frankfurt because it was almost totally destroyed with the bombings.

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Schiller is considered by most Germans to be Germany's most important classical playwright.
Ludwig van Beethovan  said that a great poem is more difficult to set to music than a merely good one because the composer must rise higher than the poet - "who can do that in the case of Schiller?  In this respect Goethe is much easier."  wrote Beethoven

 Schiller is probably most familiar to Americans for his writing of the Words to Ludwig van Beethovan's  classical work "Ode to Joy"

 When Europe changed their money to the EURO they are pretty proud of this accomplishment (so much better than all the different money for all the different countries in Europe!  It is much easier to figure out!  This is a statue depicting the "Manhatten" of Europe.  Frankfurt is the capitol of the European banking systems.

 Right around the block from where we live is this "Turkish" restaurant.  Probably the biggest fast food restaurant in Frankfurt and the food is really good!  They have this Pita sandwich that is soooooooo good!

 Margie Burt got a large sum of money donated from her Ward in America from to be used as she saw fit for the refugees.  The first thing we did was buy enough food for 40 families.  Her we are, Margie on the left and then Jill Roberts and myself, (Diane Hacking is taking the photo).....we went to Metro (like Costco) and purchased food for the families.

Above is a picture of us finishing up stuffing the food in these bags to deliver to Rebstock (one of the refugee camp here in Germany.  This is in the "Keller" which means seller of the Area Office building where we work

 Margie also purchased some Micro Waves for their community center. The purpose of these camps is to teach them German and help them become self sustaining so that they may stay in Germany.  It is quite a huge challenge to help these people.  Many of them don't want to learn, but if they don't, they will be shipped back to their homeland.  So we try and help in any way we can.

 This is Jill Robert's and myself heading for the Metro to buy food for the Refugee's....she has been a great friend and mentor since I've been here!


This picture below is Paula Thomas in the front (she would die if she knew I had posted this....but she is a dear friend and my next door neighbor....loading up the car with the food bags to go to Rebstock, the refugee camp.

 Below is Diane Hacking....you can see the bag she is lifting into the car for the refugees

 The picture was taken from our porch at night......it's quite a beautiful sight of Frankfurt at night.

I just had to put this in my blog......this is how our was is dried!  We have a washer but have to hang our clothes to dry!  It reminds me of my mother when I was a young girl.  She had a clothes line and would hang the clothes to dry each time she did the wash!

This is Randy and Rebecca Stay, they work in the church Refugee/Welfare/Emergency Preparedness department and they are just fantastic people.  We have enjoyed them taking us under their wings and showing us around Frankfurt by bike!

This is a typical apartment building in Frankfurt.  I took this on one of our bike rides.  Everyone lives in apartment buildings here.